ASSIST KING: Kevin De Bruyne celebrates another goal made at West Ham

Earlier this year, when Pep Guardiola was asked if KDB could win the prize he said: “No doubt. It is not one game, it’s the whole season, every three days playing that way. Every three games. The way he played, it’s difficult to find one in Europe better.”

De Bruyne, also speaking early in 2018, said: "I do everything to win titles with the team. What happens after is an extra. I am very pleased with the way everything is going for me. I am playing this way because the team is playing this way. It makes it easier for me, it makes it easier for them. At the end, if you get an individual honour it is beautiful.”

The boss also believes Kun Aguero is playing some of the best football of his career and he has so far bagged eight goals in 11 games.

Aguero, Edinson Cavani, Alisson Becker, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema were the first five to be named.

The second batch revealed by France Football include De Bruyne, Diego Godin, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roberto Firmino and Thibaut Courtois and the third saw Harry Kane, N'golo Kante, Eden Hazard, Isco and Antoine Griezmann all added.